Linen

A strong, cool, and high-quality cloth made from the stems of the flax plant.

Lazarus lying in the tomb wrapped in linen cloth
Lazarus lying in the tomb wrapped in linen cloth (Image generated by ChatGPT using OpenAI technology) Linen

About Linen

Cloth made from flax. See Cloth and Cloth Manufacturing.

Read full article
Go deeper
The object itself Article

Form, use in ancient daily life, and how translators render the term.

Key References

Exodus 25:4

blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;

Leviticus 16:4

He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them.

Luke 24:12

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. And after bending down and seeing only the linen cloths, he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Revelation 19:8

She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

All Scripture References (86)

Genesis (1)
Genesis 41:42

Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

Exodus (31)
Exodus 25:4

blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;

Exodus 26:1

“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

Exodus 26:31

Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

Exodus 26:36

For the entrance to the tent, you are to make a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen.

Exodus 27:9

You are also to make a courtyard for the tabernacle. On the south side of the courtyard make curtains of finely spun linen, a hundred cubits long on one side,

Exodus 27:16

The gate of the courtyard shall be twenty cubits long, with a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It shall have four posts and four bases.

Exodus 27:18

The entire courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely spun linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases.

Exodus 28:5

They shall use gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

Exodus 28:6

They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.

Exodus 28:8

And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod must be of one piece, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

Exodus 28:15

You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

Exodus 28:39

You are to weave the tunic with fine linen, make the turban of fine linen, and fashion an embroidered sash.

Exodus 28:42

Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh.

Exodus 35:6

blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;

Exodus 35:23

Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or articles of fine leather, brought them.

Exodus 35:25

Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun: blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen.

Exodus 35:35

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and as weavers—as artistic designers of every kind of craft.

Exodus 36:8

All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.

Exodus 36:35

Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

Exodus 36:37

For the entrance to the tent, he made a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen,

Exodus 38:9

Then he constructed the courtyard. The south side of the courtyard was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely spun linen,

Exodus 38:16

All the curtains around the courtyard were made of finely spun linen.

Exodus 38:18

The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high,

Exodus 38:23

With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.

Exodus 39:2

Bezalel made the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.

Exodus 39:3

They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut threads from them to interweave with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linenthe work of a skilled craftsman.

Exodus 39:5

And the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Exodus 39:8

He made the breastpiece with the same workmanship as the ephod, with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.

Exodus 39:27

For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,

Exodus 39:28

as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen,

Exodus 39:29

and the sash of finely spun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Leviticus (8)
Leviticus 6:3

or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit—

Leviticus 13:47

If any fabric is contaminated with mildew—any wool or linen garment,

Leviticus 13:48

any weave or knit of linen or wool, or any article of leather—

Leviticus 13:52

He is to burn the fabric, weave, or knit, whether the contaminated item is wool or linen or leather. Since the mildew is harmful, the article must be burned up.

Leviticus 13:59

This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.”

Leviticus 16:4

He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them.

Leviticus 16:23

Then Aaron is to enter the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen garments he put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there.

Leviticus 16:32

The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments

Deuteronomy (1)
Deuteronomy 22:11

Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.

1 Samuel (2)
1 Samuel 2:18

Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.

1 Samuel 22:18

So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

2 Samuel (1)
2 Samuel 6:14

And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,

1 Chronicles (2)
1 Chronicles 4:21

The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea,

1 Chronicles 15:27

Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the director of music for the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.

2 Chronicles (3)
2 Chronicles 2:13

So now I am sending you Huram-abi, a skillful man endowed with creativity.

2 Chronicles 3:14

He made the veil of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim woven into it.

2 Chronicles 5:12

all the Levitical singers—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps, and lyres, accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.

Esther (2)
Esther 1:6

Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.

Esther 8:15

Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

Proverbs (2)
Proverbs 7:16

I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.

Proverbs 31:22

She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Jeremiah (1)
Jeremiah 13:1

This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”

Ezekiel (13)
Ezekiel 9:2

And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Ezekiel 9:3

Then the glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

Ezekiel 9:11

Then the man clothed in linen with the writing kit at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded.”

Ezekiel 10:2

And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.

Ezekiel 10:6

When the LORD commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel.

Ezekiel 10:7

Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the fire that was among them. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who received it and went out.

Ezekiel 16:10

I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.

Ezekiel 16:13

So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen.

Ezekiel 27:7

Of embroidered fine linen from Egypt they made your sail, which served as your banner. Of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah they made your awning.

Ezekiel 27:16

Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.

Ezekiel 40:3

So He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze. He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.

Ezekiel 44:17

When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen garments; they must not wear anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple.

Ezekiel 44:18

They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.

Daniel (3)
Daniel 10:5

I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.

Daniel 12:6

One of them said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long until the fulfillment of these wonders?”

Daniel 12:7

And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, and times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has finally been shattered, all these things will be completed.”

Matthew (1)
Matthew 27:59

So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

Mark (3)
Mark 14:51

One young man who had been following Jesus was wearing a linen cloth around his body. They caught hold of him,

Mark 14:52

but he pulled free of the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Mark 15:46

So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in the cloth, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

Luke (3)
Luke 16:19

Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.

Luke 23:53

Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid.

Luke 24:12

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. And after bending down and seeing only the linen cloths, he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

John (4)
John 19:40

So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.

John 20:5

He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

John 20:6

Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

John 20:7

The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.

Revelation (5)
Revelation 15:6

And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests.

Revelation 18:12

cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

Revelation 18:16

saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

Revelation 19:8

She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

Revelation 19:14

The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses.